Five arrests in Pacific Beach robbery spree

San Diego 
San Diego police said they've arrested three men and two teens suspected of committing three street robberies and punching a woman in the face in Pacific Beach early Tuesday.

The three 19-year-olds and two 17-year-olds may be responsible for several other robberies that happened in the last couple of months, Capt. Shelley Zimmerman said.

She said the crime spree began just before midnight when the group, which was driving around in a black Mustang, robbed a tow truck driver parked on Garnet Avenue near Bayard Street.

One of the thieves walked over to the truck and reached into the driver's side window and stole a GPS device, Zimmerman said. She said the tow truck driver tried to stop them but backed off when they threatened him with a baseball bat.

The robbers then drove about two blocks north to Felspar Street, where they grabbed the purse of a woman who was walking with another woman and a man.

The attackers punched the woman in the face and stole the man's wallet. He tried to help his friend but was also menaced with the bat, Zimmerman said.

The woman who was punched had three teeth knocked loose and suffered a cut on her hand but did not require hospitalization. A witness reported seeing the car turn the corner and stop, where someone got out and attacked another man, police said. That man has not come forward, but blood was found at the spot, Zimmerman said.

A police sergeant spotted the car about 15 minutes later at Mission Bay Drive and Grand Avenue and began to pursue it.

The car's occupants threw numerous items out of the car as it headed south, including the bat, wallets, keys, credit cards, cell phones as well as cash, Zimmerman said. The sergeant pulled the car over near the Washington Street exit off Interstate 5 and took everyone into custody. All the stolen items were recovered, Zimmerman said.

The men and the teens were booked on three counts each of robbery and other charges, Zimmerman said.